Iceland is like nowhere else on earth! Volcanos and glacier, frost and fire work together to shape a beautiful island of lush green valleys, highland deserts, volcanic beaches, glacial rivers and vast, sunlit summer days when the sun never sets.

The People

Settled by 9th century Vikings, its isolation has shaped aculture that's both ancient and modern, where horses outnumber cars, and cell phones outnumber people!

The Horses

The smooth gaits of this small sturdy animal makes riding across their homeland a pleasure. The combination of open land, ancient culture and great tolting horses can only be found in Iceland!

Iceland is a land that invites exploration. It's a place to experience nature at work. Whether you're riding across black lava sands, crossing glacial torrents, or soaking in a natural hot spring, you become part of the ever-changing landscape. Abundant geothermal energy makes the country pollution-free, and shapes a terrain that requires rugged sure-footed horses to carry you through it. Iceland's culture is both ancient and modern, with an independence shaped by centuries of isolation but reliance on each other that is still seen in their way of life - it's a people on a first name basis - as any phone book will attest. Icelanders speak a language nearly unchanged in a millennium, but most have cell phones and internet connections!

More than Horse Touring

America's travel experts on Iceland. We know Iceland and its horses like nobody else! Iceland's horses won our hearts on our first riding trip there, years ago, and we've never wanted to leave this beautiful, complex island. Call our toll free number and find out how easy it can be to travel to Iceland. Then get ready for the ride of your life!
While horses bring many of our clients to Iceland, there's lots to do out of the saddle. Whether it's bird-watching or whale - watching, hiking, walking under a waterfall or across a glacier, fishing, snowmobiling, hunting for northern lights or northern night life, we'll help you with everything you'll need. See www.icelandadventure.com for lots of ideas for exploring Iceland

How to Choose?

We can help! There are so many riding tours, that you can certainly find one that's best for your schedules, skills and interests. This is where our experience comes in handy - Call or e-mail and we'll be able to help you pick the right one. First, consider a few basic questions:

When do you want to travel?

Longer riding tours are during the height of Iceland's short summer - from late June to mid August. Shorter (2,3 and 4 day) tours have a longer season, from March till October and there are day rides all year long.

How far do you want to ride?

While the riding is fairly easy, it's best to choose a tour that matches your fitness level. Many Horses North clients pick a 5-6 day ride, although 2 day rides are a great introduction and a 10 day tour can be the trip of a lifetime!

What kind of acommodations do you want?

Cross country tours through wild areas offer sleeping bag & mattress accommodations in mountain huts - sometimes referred to as "indoor camping". Farm based tours offer day rides, which return to the same comfortable farm guesthouse every night. These are great for groups with kids, or those who don't want to ride every day. Wilderness rides are great for fit equestrians, and the shorter rides work well for occaisional riders. We are now offering rides built around very nice hotel accommodations.A Very Special horse

The real star of these riding tours is the Icelandic horse. Bred in isolation for 1000 years, good riding qualities, stamina, and a uniquely smooth gait (called the Tölt) have been vitally important in this land that had few roads. Even today, the Icelanders use their horses to round up sheep and horses from their summer pastures, and riding tours are still the best way to condition horses for this work. You can join in this ancient tradition, and tölt to the time of your life!

What else do you want to experience?Iceland is so full of wonders that you may want to pick the ones - glaciers, hot springs, highlands, seashores, that you would most appreciate from the back of a horse. A lot of our clients want to explore Iceland either before or after a riding tour, and some explore without ever getting on a horse. We can send you information and answer questions to help you have a wonderful trip to Iceland.

Would you like to e.e.ease into it?

We can send you to a very special place in the USA that will introduce to the Icelandic horse in a very special way. CLICK HERE

Horses North - America's Iceland Riding Tour Experts

Here's a PDF of this page that you can download and print if you need to convince a companion to come with you!